Matt Palese

Matthew Palese is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in operational and risk management roles in the financial industry. Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Risk & Data Officer at Earnest since January 2022, Matthew previously held senior positions at Navient, where responsibilities included leading the consumer lending strategy and managing credit risk programs. Prior roles at Sallie Mae involved overseeing collection reporting for a large operational team, while at Credit One Financial Solutions, Matthew directed collections operations. Early career experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Auto Finance and MBNA/Bank of America, focusing on risk management and business strategy. Matthew holds a BS in Business Management from Wilmington University.